This invention relates to an apparatus for compensating a delay time of time code signal used in a digital tape recorder and to a digital tape recorder in which at least so-called time code signals functioning as position information on a magnetic tape are recorded together with main signals, such as audio signals.
In a tape recorder for recording analog signals in general, such as analog audio signal tape recorders for ordinary business use, so-called time code signals are usually recorded as the time information or tape position information useful for tape editing. Since these time code signals are recorded simultaneously with the main recording/reproducing signals, such as analog/audio signals, the in-line relationship, or timing concurrence, is maintained between the analog/audio signals and the time code signals.
However, when the analog/audio signals are converted into digital signals for recording or reproduction, such timing concurrence can not be maintained between the extraneous time code signals and the recording/reproducing signals because of delays produced at the time of audio/digital (A/D) conversion at the recording side or digital/audio (D/A) conversion at the reproducing side.